Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for moving a vehicle into an end position, starting from a start position of the vehicle.
Current (semi-)automatic parking systems only work when they can at least partially measure the parking space to be approached using built-in sensors. The vehicle can thus determine its position using the vehicle's built-in sensors in a learned environment and will therefore be able to retrace a path that has already been travelled. However, an end position that cannot be detected by the vehicle cannot be approached.
A method and a device for moving a motor vehicle into an end position are known from European patent document EP 1 249 379 B1, in which the vehicle is brought into a start position close to the target end position, after a first activation by the driver, the surroundings of the motor vehicle are continuously scanned to detect the end position, and the current vehicle position is continuously determined, wherein control information is determined for moving the vehicle into the end position using the determined surroundings and position information. Dependent on a second activation by the driver, control commands dependent on the control information are emitted to the drive train and/or the brake system and/or the steering system of the motor vehicle, whereby the motor vehicle drives into the end position independently of the driver.
German patent document DE 10 2013 015 349 A1 discloses a method and a device for operating a vehicle, in particular for approaching a parking space in a parking zone away from the road that cannot be seen by the vehicle, in which data about the surroundings of the vehicle are detected. In the absence of built-in sensors, parking spaces to be approached repeatedly are approached without measurement and these regularly used parking spaces in the non-visible parking zones are driven into using previously recorded and stored surroundings data or driving data. This system is self-taught after repeated parking in the same area, wherein, when approaching this parking zone, relevant information is saved, such as the determined driving data or recorded surroundings data, such as the steering yaw angle, vehicle speed, GPS data and driven trajectory, and already stored driving data or surroundings data are updated so that the maneuver can be re-trained.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are direct to a method and a device for improved availability of the autonomous parking system.
Features, possible uses and advantages of the invention are described in the following description, as well as the explanation of exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are depicted in the figures.
According to an exemplary embodiment, a method involves                determining the start position by a mobile terminal or the vehicle,        determining the end position by the mobile terminal,        planning a driving trajectory of the vehicle within the vehicle,        driving the vehicle along the driving trajectory of the vehicle being initiated by the vehicle or the mobile terminal.        
This has the advantage that, due to the use of the mobile terminal, the driver can inspect the driving maneuver to be carried out by the vehicle in advance and can determine the alignment of the vehicle in the end position. A further advantage of the invention is that no additional vehicle sensors are required to plan the vehicle maneuver. It is very easy for the driver to plan the vehicle maneuver. The driving maneuver recorded by the mobile terminal can then be started by the driver by remote control. Here, the vehicle drives autonomously without support from the driver.
The start position can also be determined by the driver determining the start position using a control device on the mobile terminal. The start position can also be determined by the event “driver opens driver's door to step out” or “driver engages P on the gear selection lever”. Upon activation by the driver or by an event, the vehicle or the mobile terminal then determines the current position of the vehicle and sets this position as the start position for the parking process. This has the advantage that the driver has the possibility to determine the start position without great effort. The start position can be determined in a flexible and simple manner.
The start or end position of the vehicle is advantageously determined by aligning the mobile terminal in a global coordinate system. By using this global coordinate system, the end and start position can both be easily transmitted to the vehicle and processed again there.
In one embodiment, the alignment of the mobile terminal in the global coordinate system takes place using sensor data recorded by the mobile terminal and transmitted to the vehicle. The end position of the vehicle can be easily depicted by this alignment of the mobile terminal in such a way that it can easily be used to plan a driving maneuver.
In one variation, the mobile terminal is moved from the start position into the end position, wherein the mobile terminal constantly receives data and analyses it to plan a driving maneuver. Due to this constant data, a travel path is marked which can be seen as the basis for a driving maneuver of the vehicle.
In one embodiment, the course of the vehicle is corrected by means of the mobile terminal when the driving maneuver of the vehicle is carried out. Constant monitoring of the driving maneuver of the autonomously driving vehicle is thus ensured by the driver, wherein the driver can intervene in the driving maneuver in the event of a potential collision.
One development of the invention relates to a device for moving a vehicle into an end position, comprising a control device connected to a steering unit and an engine control system and/or a braking device of the vehicle. For a device, by means of which the vehicle can approach an end position which cannot be detected by sensors:                a mobile terminal is connected to the control device by a wireless communication device, which is used to determine a start position or an end position of the vehicle, and        the control device determines a target path on the basis of the driving maneuver plan produced by the mobile terminal and completes the target path by activating the steering unit and the engine control system or the braking device.        
Based on a driving maneuver proposed by the mobile terminal, the device can calculate a real path the vehicle should take for parking in or taking up the non-visible end position, even without the vehicle's own sensor data having to be evaluated.
The control device advantageously comprises a path control device connected to a position determination device of the control device, the position determination device determining a start position of the vehicle. The accuracy of the target path emitted by the control device is improved by independent determination of the start position of the vehicle independently of the mobile terminal.
A further embodiment of the invention relates to a device for planning driving maneuvers of a vehicle, comprising a computer unit. In the event of such a device that is suitable for controlling an end position that cannot be detected by the vehicle's built-in sensors:                the computer unit is connected to at least one position detection sensor for determining a start position or an end position or a potential travel path of the vehicle,        the at least one position detection sensor is managed on a position calculation unit of the computer unit that determines the position of the device in a global coordinate system,        the position calculation unit and a position determination unit are connected to a driving maneuver planning unit that plans the driving maneuver, and        the computer unit is connected to a transmitter/receiver unit that sends the start position or the end position or the planned driving maneuver to the vehicle.        
A possible travel path of the vehicle can be determined independently of the vehicle using such a mobile device. It can then be transferred wirelessly to a control device of the vehicle that can adjust the proposed driving maneuver by means of its own position data and determines and follows a target travel path of the vehicle using this.
The position calculation unit for calculating a yaw angle is advantageously connected to a gyroscope or a magnetic field sensor or an acceleration sensor, the position calculation unit emitting sensor data comprising all three spatial directions. By means of such position sensors contained in the mobile device, a very precise three-dimensional positioning of the mobile device can be provided in both a start position of the vehicle and in a possible end position of the vehicle. In particular, the end position can be clearly determined three-dimensionally through the alignment of the mobile device in the global coordinate system.
In one variant, the position determination unit is connected to a wireless positioning system. Such a wireless positioning system is to be understood as a mobile radio network or a WLAN network or satellite-based systems such as, for example, GPS. These are particularly advantageous when additional sensors in the mobile device are to be dispensed with. Alternatively, the data of the positioning systems can also be used to calibrate the data determined by the sensors of the mobile device.
Further advantages, features and details arise from the following description in which at least one exemplary embodiment is described in detail, if applicable with reference to the drawing. Described or visually depicted features can form the subject matter of the invention individually or in any meaningful combination, if appropriate also independently of the claims, and in particular can also be the subject of one or more separate application(s). The same reference numerals refer to the same, similar or functionally identical parts.